Head of Information Governance

About the ICRC

Since 1863, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has worked to preserve human dignity and relieve suffering caused by war and armed violence.

In collaboration with our Red Cross and Red Crescent partners around the world, we do everything we can to deliver life-saving aid, reconnect families and locate missing people - helping those who need it most, regardless of who they are and what side of the front line they are on.

We engage with authorities and armed forces on all sides, often confidentially, pressing for access to detainees to improve their living conditions and urging compliance with international humanitarian law to protect non-combatants, including from digital threats.

Purpose of the Role

The ICRC manages vast amounts of information across widely dispersed, conflict-affected contexts. Rapidly evolving situations of conflict, the sensitivity of the information confidentially entrusted to the ICRC and high staff rotation in the field make effective knowledge transfer essential to operations. At the same time, artificial intelligence is changing how people use information, and with it the nature of information itself: its value, authenticity, volume, accuracy, accessibility, pace and lifecycle.

The Head of Information Governance leads the strategy, governance and operational execution of the ICRC’s information lifecycle. The post-holder develops and implements a 2027-2030 roadmap aligning the relevant teams across the organization (operations, archives, data governance and digital workplace products) to organize and protect ICRC information, leverage AI in line with institutional policies and promote responsible practices. The role turns unstructured data and information into strategic assets, ensures compliance with internal and external standards, and protects information assets in close collaboration with cybersecurity teams. By improving information quality, the post-holder drives AI readiness and ensures leaders receive accurate, actionable intelligence for decision-making in crises.

Working with ICT and other métiers (business units), this role strengthens the ICRC’s ability to manage and use information through the digital workplace and deliver intuitive search and retrieval experiences.

Main Duties & Responsibilities

Leadership and Strategy

• Define and champion the information governance strategy as a key enabler of institutional goals, in line with the ICRC’s overall strategy and digital transformation objectives.
• Advise executive leadership on using information as a strategic asset for decision-making, operational efficiency and innovation.
• Drive the integration of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, into information governance to strengthen organizational capabilities and future-proof operations.

Governance and Policy

• Own and oversee the Information Governance Framework, ensuring it reflects global best practices, compliance requirements and organizational priorities.
• Define and lead the implementation of an information governance maturity roadmap.
• Lead the development and continuous improvement of forward-looking, adaptable policies and standards for information handling, classification and lifecycle management.
• Develop and lead strategic initiatives to deliver information management as a service.

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Compliance and Internal Control

• Act as Secretariat of the Information Security Board.
• Provide strategic oversight of information risk management, ensuring robust controls to mitigate risks related to information security, privacy and compliance.
• Co-own the information and data governance framework and implement the associated actions.
• Monitor compliance with information management requirements, raise awareness and develop corresponding action plans.
• Work with auditors and other compliance functions (e.g. Risk Management, the Data Protection Office and Business Continuity) to identify common recommendations.

Operational Support

• Lead and inspire a distributed network of information management professionals, empowering them to deliver on IM objectives and adapt to emerging challenges.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness and maturity of information governance practices across the organization.
• Act as Business Owner for the products and services of the Digital Workplace Product Line.
• Develop and lead the optimization of services and processes for information lifecycle and document management, preparation of unstructured information for AI use, and crisis management and decision support.
• Support change management for information management initiatives affecting HQ and the field, in coordination with ICT functions.
• Work with the Archives function to ensure the information lifecycle is robust and fit for purpose.
• Conduct short field missions as required.

Education & Professional Background

• Advanced university degree in information management, information science, data science, computer science, law or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• At least 15 years’ overall professional experience, including at least 10 years in information management, information governance, data management or data architecture.
• Proven track record of leading enterprise-wide document management systems (DMS) or SharePoint.
• Demonstrated experience preparing unstructured data environments for AI integration.
• Experience supporting executive leadership teams in high-pressure crisis situations.
• Team management experience.
• Experience working in an international and multicultural environment.
• Excellent command of English and French; knowledge of Spanish is an asset.

Desired Profile & Skills

• Strong knowledge of data governance, records management and information lifecycle practices.
• Working knowledge of privacy regulations, standards and compliance frameworks, including the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and data protection principles.
• Strategic thinking combined with hands-on delivery.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Proven leadership and team development skills.
• Experience with modern data platforms (cloud ecosystems, data warehouses, data lakes) is desirable.
• Familiarity with AI/ML data requirements and ethical data use is desirable.

Additional Information

• Location: Geneva, Switzerland
• Type of Contract: Open-ended
• Mobility Type: Required Rotation
• Length of Assignment: 4 years
• Working Rate: 100%
• Start date: February 2027
• Recruiter: Alejandra Rodriguez
• Application deadline: Tuesday, 10 November 2026

The ICRC values diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive working environment. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates.

Are you ready to explore the next chapter of your career? Apply now!

For more information about working at ICRC HQ please click here.

Our Values

At the ICRC, we value impact, collaboration, respect, and compassion. We seek candidates who demonstrate behaviors based on these shared values. For more information on the ICRC values, please visit this page.